Advent Calendar Christmas Memories – Santa Claus

As a very small child I was a very devoted believer of Santa Claus. We would always be taken to one of the stores or some party to have our photos taken with Santa Claus. For some reason only one of me survived all these years. Every year I bring this out on display as a reminder of my childhood and the wonderful memories. I was positive that Santa knew who was naughty and nice – I sure tried to be nice, although I know I tested my parents!

I was about 2 the year my dad was Post Commander for the local Naval Vets Club. They had wonderful Christmas parties for the families. That year I managed to be a whiney sick child, crying and rubbing my eyes with sweet red mittens my mother knit for me. By the time we were home it was obvious I had a bad cold getting worse fast along with conjunctivitis. The doctor was called (remember when doctors still made house calls?). A previous Furry Friends Friday post found HERE tells the story of how badly I wanted Smokey the Bear Teddy Bear. My dad went to the Christmas presents hidden in the garage attic and gave him to me as an early gift. That was the only gift I paid attention to that year. A new family tradition was started – the giving of a special gift from Mom and Dad each Christmas Eve and the rest from Santa on Christmas morning! Smokey still occupies a place of honor each Christmas at my home!

My husband heard stories of Babo Natale while growing up in Italy but it was La Befana who brought their small gifts on Three Kings Day each year. Christmas Eve was Midnight Mass and Christmas Day they celebrated with a special feast for the entire extended family. La Befana was the old woman on her broom searching for the Christ Child.

As we raised our sons, we would tell them all the usual Christmas tales such as Rudolph, Jack Frost, The Snowman, etc. but we were careful to be sure they understood this was all part of the fun of Christmas magic and only tales. We wanted them to understand the True Christmas Miracle was the Christ Child. So we would share stories of Saint Nicklaus visiting children long ago to share that same story of the birth of Christ with small gifts for them.